by DJ Morand
“Aye. Captain.” Ensign Kay stood stoically, but sweat beaded on her brow. The Quintarran was not prone to signs of stress. Echo worried that she was pushing the crew too hard.
The TP-D Justice continued at warp for the better part of an hour. The distance from Quintar IV to their destination was not far but Echo wanted to be cautious. She expected a trap. The fight with the URSA gunship had not lasted long and it was not the knock out drag out she expected; not by any means. Echo knew that the EXO Prime was crafty. Echo still had her suspicions regarding the circumstances surrounding Abel’s imprisonment on Quintar VII.
The Fleet Admiral had sent out emissaries following Echo's report and found that the entire city had been leveled. Fleet Admiral Clark believed it to be the work of the EXO Prime in retaliation, but something about the convenience of the place and the supposedly freed EXOs nagged at her. Echo believed that the EXO Prime had only eliminated the people on New Exodus because they no longer had any use. She suspected an elaborate ruse in order to catch Abel. Echo suspected another elaborate ruse now to the same effect. The EXO Prime was obsessed with Abel and she wouldn’t put it past him to lay a trap to draw him out.
The URSA class gunship and the attack on Quintar IV seemed too coincidental. The EXOs in her apartment, the attack on Quintar IV, the freed people on Quintar VII, and now the fight with the gunship all were connected - she was sure of it. She was missing the critical piece to put it all together. Echo felt there was something at the heart of it all, she just couldn’t place it.
Aurora Rigel, she thought. That she-devil.
The woman that had mysteriously showed up and helped Abel recover and rebuild the Kodiak. If she had the Kodiak, how had the EXO Prime managed to create a copy of the URSA gunship? As she thought about it, Echo was surer that Aurora Rigel had some role to play in the attack.
Did Abel vet her? Probably not, she has a smoking hot body and that face, she thought. The kind of face a man would kill for.
“Drop us out of warp!” Echo yelled. “We're going back, this is a trap.”
“It is too late Captain. We have reached our exit vector. We are exiting warp at this moment,” Ensign Kay said.
The TP-D Justice dropped out of warp. No sooner than the warp core powered down a barrage of fire impacted the destroyer. Klaxons blared throughout the ship as various systems began to fail.
“Get our flakking shields up now!” Echo was yelling.
“Systems are failing in sectors seven and twenty-one. Primary propulsion is offline, we're on sub-light only. Evasive maneuvers will be impossible. Long range scanners are also offline,” Six said.
Echo was about to respond when a massive explosion came from within the ship. The shockwave shook the vessel and Echo could hear the groan of the ship's engines.
We're going to die out here, she thought.
“I need a status report now, what the flak was that?” Echo said.
Martinez was the first to respond, “It was the hangar bay ma'am. One of the RAVEN-Fs exploded. The others deployed the moment we exited warp.”
“How did that happen?” Echo asked.
Six replied, “No weapons targeted the hangar bay. All fire was focused on our primary propulsion systems. They knew we'd be without shields when we exited warp, they were waiting. The explosion in the hangar was timed too perfectly and the other RAVENs disembarked. It couldn't have all been accidental.”
Six let the silence hang. He knew he was accusing the Fleet Commander and First Fleet, but he had little doubt what had just happened. As the silence drew on, Echo realized that they were no longer being fired upon. Sub-light and primary propulsion were both offline now, the Transteel viewer indicated as much. They were working off of emergency power only.
Echo tapped her Writcom to connect with the Fleet Commander. The response surprised her.
“Hello, Echo Shade,” Breaker said. “This is Commander Breaker Jones of the Mirage. You are now my prisoner.”
“Breaker Jones,” Echo said. “I should have known you'd become the EXO Prime's lapdog. How did you survive that blast?” Echo said, meaning the explosion of Abel’s SATYR suit; the event that should have killed Breaker.
“Flak you,” Breaker said. His sensitivity about nearly dying at the hands of Abel always got the better of him. Abel had nearly killed him twice, now he had a chance for vengeance.
“I'm flattered,” Echo said, “But I don't flak with EXOs.”
“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you,“ Breaker said. “I have orders not to kill you just yet. So my EXOs are going board your destroyer and retrieve you,”” the comms crackled. “I suggest you do not resist or I will be forced to kill the rest of the crew.”
Echo disliked Breaker Jones. He was obviously the underling of the EXO Prime. If goading her into a chase had been the point, they intended to use her against Abel. The confirmation of the trap led her to her other fears. She worried that Abel was being manipulated by another agent of the EXO Prime.
“What about Fleet Commander Boyle?” Echo said. “Is he alive?”
“I'm here Captain. I am sorry to say you've been played. My fleet is intact, save for the RAVEN-F we left aboard. The self-destruct did as I had intended. By now you will have realized that you have no primary or sub-light power. You are at our mercy,” Fleet Commander Boyle said.
“You dog!” Echo cursed him.
“No, you're the dog! A half-breed whelp! Your father was a traitor! He tried to kill us all. The EXO Prime has agreed to give us positions in his new order. James Shade and his half-breed offspring will be a footnote in history. Breaker, go ahead and send your men aboard,” Boyle said. ““Oh and Echo, should you resist we will kill your crew.”
The Writ-com chirped and the signal ended abruptly. Echo felt a faint surge of anger at being cut off again. She let that anger fester and let it fuel her. She turned to her crew, all of whom looked resolute.
“No,” Echo let the anger die out. “I will not let you sacrifice yourselves in vain. They need me alive, if we resist there is no reason to keep you alive.”
“I will not be one of them,” Ensign Kay said.
“Nor I,” Six replied. “We stand by your side Captain.”
“We don't have any leverage to bargain with them,” Echo pleaded.
“Then we decide to go down fighting.” Martinez stood up and drew her plasma pistol. The pistol whined as she clicked it on. “I'm not going to die as a flakking EXO. Let them try to ex me.”
“Alright, I have an idea,” Echo stood a bit taller.
22: DINA
Near Quintar V - EFNF Destroyer: TP-D Justice
2973 ESD - Monday, June 7th 21:15 hours
“Greetings, Captain Shade. I am DINA - Dynamic Intelligent Network Assistant, how may I serve?” The distractingly attractive woman appeared on the Transteel viewer.
“I am detecting insufficient power to govern the TP-D Justice. I suggest improving power performance by reactivating the primary power coupling.” DINA’’s hair was auburn and she was well endowed. Echo realized it was the standard AI model and not the modified version she had designed.
“DINA, we don't have time for that. We need to get power to the propulsion system. There has been an explosion,” Echo said.
“Captain,” Ensign Kay stood up. “I must formally announce that I am not at ease with this course of action.”
“Understood Ensign, duly noted,” Echo said. “Is there anyone else who objects?”
No one else stood up or said anything against the captain's orders. Although, Echo could tell that Ensign Kay was extremely uncomfortable. The Quintarran engineering officer would be more valuable where she was more comfortable.
“Ensign Kay, please report to engineering,” Echo looked to the Quintarran. Ensign Kay looked relieved.
“I have detected an anomaly in the hangar bay. I have dispatched emergency repair and fire suppression units. Is there anything else?” DINA said, drawing Echo's attention once more.
/> “We need to restore power to the primary propulsion system. We're under attack,” Echo nearly yelled. She was allowing her fear and frustration to govern her emotions.
“I do not detect that shields have been activated. Primary power is offline, please reconnect the primary power coupling.”
“Damnit! Flakking machines! Personality override Alpha Tango Zulu Niner Seven. Upload Shade, Echo combat tactics and defense array Zero Zero Niner,” Echo barked. She forgot she had to speak the activation code.
Damnit, E. Pull yourself together, she chided.
The holographic image of DINA vanished for a moment and reappeared. Her figure was less full and DINA was plainer. She wore the standard dress of the EFNF without decoration or rank designation. Her name badge read simply 'DINA'.
“Hello, Captain,” DINA’s voice was more ordered and a bit lower in pitch. “I am reading the computer status as combat engaged. The primary power coupling appears to be offline. Rerouting power to the secondary coupling. Deploying shields and routing tertiary power to propulsion. We will have a zero point zero zero six two one second microburst of propulsion before fuel reserves are depleted.”
“That's better,” Six sighed.
“Indeed. DINA please assist with navigation, tactics, and defenses. Relate relative data to the individual stations,” Echo said.
“Compliance. Beginning initial processing now,” DINA said. “Tactical analysis, Navigational Targets, and Defensive maneuvering is available at individual crew stations. Sealing breaches in the hull near the hangar bay with shield emissions.”
Echo nodded and then looked to Six and the others, “We're not getting away without a fight. We're under emergency power and we have too little to run very far. Which means we will have to repel invaders.”
Echo turned back to the AI, “DINA can you use the fabricators to manufacture melee weaponry?” Echo asked. She knew that the life span of plasma pistols was not long and they would have to resort to melee attacks before long.
“The fabricators were damaged in the attacks, I can provide two carbon steel blades with the remaining resources. Should I proceed?” DINA assessed.
“Proceed. Make one a naginata,” Echo turned to Six. “Master Chief, hand over your station to Martinez. With DINA's calculations I am sure the Chief Petty Officer can manage.””
Six nodded and rose from his station. He stepped up next to Echo and motioned for Martinez to take his seat. Astra Martinez hesitated for a moment before nodding and taking the Master Chief's station. It was obvious she wanted to fight, but Echo did not want to unnecessarily risk any of her crew. A moment later a carbon folded blade extended from the deck fabricator. Another short moment later a long pole weapon with a similar blade extended.
“Fabrication of bladed melee weapons complete,” DINA said.
Echo nodded and stepped over to the weapons. She drew the naginata and the other sword. She handed the second blade to Six and nodded toward the hangar. Six nodded back and the two started away from the bridge.
“Lieutenant Boulson, you have command. If the Master Chief and I do not return, you are ordered to get this ship away from those EXOs. I figure they'll have vultures before long,” Echo said. “DINA, I need you to get weapons and propulsion back online. Send updates to my Writcom.”
“Affirmative Captain Echo Shade,” DINA replied.
“We've got this Captain,” Andrew said.
Echo nodded again and stretched. She held the naginata with the blade down and the pole pressed against the back of her arm. The staff was nearly as tall as her so she held it out at a bit of an angle. The stance gave her a grim appearance. Six hefted the sword and tested the swing once in front of him. He smiled appreciatively at the weapon.
The duo left the bridge and traversed down the long corridor towards the EVA stations. Each of the stations held within it a combat EVA suit called WASPS - Wearable and Sustainable Pliant Suit... They were a combination of the standard EVA and the SATYR combat armor. Echo had not originally included them, but she remembered the simple EVA suit Abel had rescued her in. If there had been a decompression aboard the Kodiak, or if they had been boarded, there was no fighting their way out. Echo did not like the prospects of being unable to fight.
“Captain,” Six said. “I did not want to mention it in front of the crew, but there may still be RAVEN-F pilots from First Fleet aboard. We should deploy the marines to sweep the decks.”
“I had thought of that as well Six, I sent a silent command for the Marines to sweep already,” Echo said. In truth she had not thought about it, but she was sending the command now.
It infuriated Echo that Six seemed to have better ideas than herself. The fact that he didn't exactly lord it over her irked her further. Echo knew she was a capable pilot and she had worked to obtain her rank without her father's influence. However, she still struggled with the idea that she was only where she was because of Admiral James David Shade. It was a fact that plagued her from the first time she took a mission in the EFNF. Whether or not Six Remington held the same belief was beyond Echo. She knew that some believed she was incompetent while others were indifferent at best. The Master Chief had not expressed either sentiment, but he did manage to make a good deal of suggestions. Echo could not tell if this was him being a helpful first officer or a condescending subordinate.
Echo put her thoughts of pity from her mind as they fitted the WASPS on. The suits were bright yellow and fitted with several additional lighting apparatuses. Designed to fit snugly, Echo felt the suit gave too much attention to her curves. To his credit, Six said nothing. Echo could not help but notice that Six was in better shape than Abel and his muscles showed too well.
God E, you're a lecher. Stop it! She chided herself. Besides you know he isn’t into women.
Thoughts of Six's muscles and her comparison of Six and Abel brought back painful memories. She had wanted to say things to Abel before she left, but that woman had ruined her plans. Echo shook her head and focused on the mission at hand. She knew that the EXOs had already boarded. They would likely have come through the hull breaches in the hangar bay.
“Captain,” DINA’s voice came through Echo's Writcom. “I have re-established primary power. The laser turrets are online, but any use of them will drain the power core. I recommend utilizing the rail and kinetic weaponry.”
“That's good DINA,” Echo said. “Lieutenant Boulson target anything leaving those EXO ships with the rail guns. Set a secondary targeting array for the URSA vessel out there using the kinetic weapons. I don't care where just keep it occupied.”
“Affirmative Captain,” DINA said.
“Aye. Captain,” Andrew replied.
“Six, let's go take care of our friends,” Echo said as she put on the WASPS helmet.
Six didn't reply, but Echo could see the look on his face. She thought it might actually be respect. The duo engaged the mag locks on their boots and moved out of the EVA room. Echo motioned toward the lift doors with two fingers. Six moved forward and engaged the lift. Echo stood back with a plasma pistol in her left hand. She kept it aimed at the door in case enemies rode the lift to meet them. Six stood to the side with his sword at the ready.
The lift roared to a stop at the command deck and opened with a metallic hiss. The lift was empty. Echo sighed in relief. She motioned again for Six to check the lift before they boarded. The Master Chief stepped into the lift and looked around. He had his sword in the left hand and lowered. He aimed a plasma pistol in his right hand and checked the ceiling of the lift.
A moment later he motioned to Echo that it was safe. She stepped into the lift and Six engaged the lift to take them to the hangar deck. Echo double checked the mag locks on her boots. She knew they were dealing with hull breaches and likely a loss of gravity. The latter gave her pause. If they didn't have gravity the melee weaponry wouldn't do them much good.
I hope DINA managed to restore gravity at least. Echo thought.
The lift stopped at th
e hangar deck and the door opened. Echo did not read any alerts, but she could see the gaping hole in the side of the hangar bay. It looked like some sort of behemoth had torn through, clawing its way out. She knew it was the aftermath of the explosion.
Flakking glitches, she silently cursed Commander Doyle and First Fleet.
As they stepped out of the lift several plasma bolts connected with the area around them. Echo used the tracking in her WASPS and followed the reverse trajectory of the blasts. Across the hangar was a squad of EXO boarders. Half of them appeared human, while the other half looked to be Quintarran.
Ironic, she thought. The two groups I don't belong to firing at me.
Echo recognized them as EXOs, but something in her could not stop the sardonic thought from rising to the surface. Echo and Six dove to opposite sides as the onslaught continued. Echo rolled to the right and found shelter behind a large wing from a damaged RAVEN-F.
To the left Six took cover behind a damaged fabricator resupply container. The large container was cylindrical and provided enough cover for Six on either side. He rolled his back against the resupply container and fired off several shots from his plasma pistol. One of the EXO faces exploded. There was not much blood, only enough to keep the skin from drying and cracking. The thing's eyes and face were mostly machine. Echo watched as wiring and electronic debris mingled with blood and flesh. The EXO fell backward into one of its companions and the other's fire missed wildly. The plasma bolts connected with the open hole and Echo saw the flash of the shield as it absorbed the impact.
Good, she thought. We have atmosphere, probably gravity too based on that impact.
Echo held a hand in front of her visor and waved it back and forth, cover me. Six nodded and opened fire again. Echo climbed over the wing and leapt from the top of it. Her naginata extended for an attack. She clicked her heels and gained a boost from the embedded rockets. Echo launched forward and nearly flipped.
Abel made this look so easy, Echo thought.
She landed somewhat upright. One of the EXOs was impaled on her naginata. She pulled the blade back and it pulled through the side of the impaled enemy. Again there was little blood as she tore out the innards of the machine. She spun on her heel and extended the blade again. The powered hydraulics in the WASPS gave her extra power as she spun. The blade tore the head off another EXO and embedded itself into the next at the shoulder. She looked up to see a large Quintarran EXO brandishing an electrified baton.
